About 1 in 8 American women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. Here are a few of the risk factors that can increase the chance of getting the disease.
Age: Women ages 55 and older account for about 2/3 of the cases of breast cancer.
Family History: Having a mother, sister or daughter with breast cancer doubles a woman’s risk. Still, over 85 percent of women with breast cancer do not have a family history.
Alcohol: Women who have two to five drinks per day are 1-½ times more likely to have breast cancer.
Birth of Your First Child Late In Life: Having your first child after the age of 35 increases the likelihood of the disease.
Other risk factors include being overweight, lack of exercise and having postmenopausal hormone therapy.
What’s your risk for breast cancer? Find out today. Visit cancer.gov/bcrisktool and answer seven simple questions. It just might save your life!